Gasoline-reserve device



July "7, 1925.

T. P. TROKE GASOLINE RESERVE DEVI-CE Filed July 25, 1924 INVENTOR. 1. 77/0/14: R041.

' ATfORNEYi' Patented. July 7, 1925.

THOMAS nflrnoxn, or TOLEDO, OHIO.

GASOLINE-RESERVE DEVICE.

' Application filed Ju1y 25, 1924. ScriaI'No. 728,057.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. TROKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented a certainnew and useful Gasoline-Reserve Device; and Ido hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, ref

erence being had to the accompanying draw-- ings, in which like numerals refer to like parts. 1

This invention pertains to an attachment for internal combustion engines operated by liquid fuelffor warning the operator of such engines at such time as the fuel is reduced to-a minimum amount, sufficient only to continue to operate the engine until a new supply may be obtained.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an attachment of simple nature which may be readily attached to the fuel line intermediate the fuel tank and internal combustion engine, for safeguarding the latter againstdraining the fuel tank without warning. This is accomplished by means of an inverted U-shaped by pass for the fuel connected with the main fuel line intermediate the carburetor of the-engine and the fuel itank which will effect a liquid seal and permit the drawing of the liquid there through by a vacuum tank, if it is a vacuum feed system, until the level of the fuel in the tank falls below the top of the device, after which the liquid seal being broken the suction will be interrupted and no more fuel drawn into the engine until the valve adjustment is made. In the case of a gravity feed, the same device controls by reason of the equalization of levels between the column of fuel in the attachment and in the tank, as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and described.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration showing the attachment with respect to a gasoline tank and carburetor as applied to a gravity feed.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through the attachment.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 4: is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 1 showing the attachment as applied to a vacuum feed.

In the/drawings there is shown a fuel tank 10, carburetor 11 intercommunicating the fuel line 12. As shown in Fig. 1, the fuel system is of the gravity feed type. However, as shown in Fig. 5, the attachmentmay likewise be used 011 a vacuum feed system in which there is shown a vacuum tank 13 connected with the carburetor 14.

-Interposed' in the fuel line 12 there is an inverted U-shaped by-pass comprising the fuel line connection 15 in which there is positioned a valve 16 for opening and closing the direct passage through the said connection. Extending upwardly from said connection and communicating with the direct passage therethrough on each side of the valve 16 there is a U-shaped conduit. having vertical conduits 17 and a connecting upper conduit 18. Extending upwardly from the upper conduit 18 and communicating therewith there is an air vent tube 19 which is cont-rolled by the valve 20.

In operation, assuming that the attachment is installed ina gravity feed system, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the installat-ion'in the fuel line is so positioned that the top ofthe conduit 18 is on a level with that portion of the tank containing approximately a gallon or two of fuel, this level being indicated herein by the line A-A.

When the engine is operating from a comparatively full tank by the gravity feed, the valve 16 is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to obstruct the direct passage of the fuel through the connection 15. This causes the fuelto pass through the inverted U- shaped by-pass to the carburetor. When the level of the fuel in the tank 10 is re-.

duced below the line AA, so that the column of fuel extending upwardly in the adjacent upright arm 17 of the attachment will not reach or be suflicient to flow through the upper passage 18, no more fuel will be permitted to reach the carburetor and the engine will cease to operate. The operator is thereby informed that his supply of fuel is low and he may then open the valve 16 so as to permit the balance of the fuel to feed directly through the connection 15 and continue to operate the engine until a new supply of fuel can be obtained.

VVherein the attachment is used in connection with a vacuum feed system, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, upon using a comparatively full tank the valve 16 is closed and the Valve 20 is opened. The attachment being in the same relative position to the gasoline tank as above described, the upper passage 18 will be filled with fuel creating a liquid seal with respect to the air vent tube 19. The vacuum feed system will, therefore, draw the fuel around the by-pass until such time as the level in the tank 10 is reduced to the line AA, which will also reduce the level thereof in the upper passage 18 sufficient to break the liquid seal and permit air to be sucked in through the air vent 19 past the open valve 20. The vacuum feed will thereafter draw in the air rather than the fuel which will accordingly cause the engine to cease operation. The operator may then close the valve 20 and open the valve 16 after which the remaining fuel in the tank may be readily drawn into the carburetor.

Vic have, therefore, a Very simple device which may be readily attached on the fuel line and which will operate to warn the opi orator of the engine at such time as his fuel falls below a given level, said device being equally operable with respect to both gravity and vacuum feed systems.

The invention claimed is:

1. The combination with a fuel tank, a carburetor, and an intercommunicating fuel line, of an attachment of the character described comprising an inverted U-shaped by pass connected with said fuel line, said by-pass having its extreme upper passage positioned in a horizontal plane extending through the lower portion of the fuel tank, a valve associated with said fuel line for permitting fuel to pass directly therethrough when opened or preventing its passage when closed, an air vent communicating with the upper portion of said by-pass, and a valve for opening and closing said air vent.

2. The combination with a fuel tank, a carburetor, and an intercommunicating fuel line, of a bypass in said fuel line extending upwardly therefrom and having its uppermost passageway in a horizontal plane extending through the lower portion of said fuel tank, a valve positioned intermediate the connection of said by-pass with said fuel line for controlling the passage of fuel therethrough, an air vent communicating with the upper passage of said by-pass, and a valve for opening and closing said air vent.

3. The combination with a fuel tank, a carburetor, and an intercommunicating fuel line, of an attachment of the character described comprising a connecting member provided with a passage therethrough adapted to be inserted in saidfuel line, a valve for opening and closing the passage through said member, an upwardly extending U- shaped conduit connected with said member on each side of said valve and communicating with the passage therethrough, said c0nduit being provided with an upper portion thereof extending above the lower portion .of said fuel tank, an air vent tube attached to and communicating with said upper portion, and a valve for opening and closing said air vent.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my'signature.

THOMAS P. TROKE. 

